...to protect and perpetuate extensive areas of the state possessing those resources which illustrate and exemplify Minnesota’s natural phenomena and to provide for the use, enjoyment, and understanding of such resources without impairment for the enjoyment and recreation of future generations. (Minn. Stat. §86A.05, subd. 2 (a))
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| Mississippi headwaters at Itasca State Park (photo by Tastocke) |
The National Park system began in 1872 with the founding of Yellowstone, but the country took some time to define what this sort of park was or how it was to be managed. State parks also had a fuzzy beginning. Niagara Falls, founded in 1885, is popularly remembered as the first state park. However, Georgia had a state-level park as early as 1825, and California was managing a system of parks at the state level from 1864.
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| Minnehaha Falls, From an 1878 resort guide |
Minnesota attempted to join these state park pioneers in 1885, when it passed legislature to create a state-run park around Minnehaha Falls. Legal battles delayed the land acquisition, and by the time the arguments were settled (in the state's favor) in 1889, Minnesota didn't have the money to buy the land. The city of Minneapolis stepped in, bought the land, and took control of the park.
Not to be discouraged, Minnesota tried again just three years later. The late 1800s marked the peak of logging in northern Minnesota, and many stands of native red pines were at risk. Jacob Brower, a former legislator/railroader/newspaper man who was now an explorer mapping the headwaters first marked out by Schoolcraft, recognized the beauty of the area and the threat that could destroy it. Brower took his proposal to the legislature, fighting for Itasca's protection. In 1891, Itasca became Minnesota's first State Park.
Brower later became Itasca's first Superintendent, then the first Parks Commissioner, working on developing Itasca until his death in 1905. Itasca was first managed as a State Forest, while subsequent parks (Itasca was followed by Interstate State Park in 1895 and Minneopa State Park in 1905) were administered by the State Auditor. In 1925 the Department of Conservation (later the DNR) was created to care for the system that had grown to ten parks.
Itasca State Park set the tone for Minnesota's later State Parks. In 1905, Douglas Lodge was built in the Rustic Style that marks this and later periods in state park architecture. The lodge is not only the oldest building in the park system, but it is the first development of a recreation structure in a State Park. Its construction set the stage for the recreational role of State Parks today. Itasca and subsequent parks were hugely important during the Great Depression, as they were the sites of many CCC and WPA projects. The Depression marked one of three park-founding peaks: ten State Parks were founded in 1937 (though many of these were first developed in the early 1930s), five in 1957 (with a rising population and popularity of the automobile), and eleven in 1963 (with greater park popularity and environmental concern). The most recent State Park, Lake Vermilion, was established in 2010.
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| Reflection Lake, St. Croix State Park. Photo by William Wesen |
Fun facts:
Minnesota State parks are relatively evenly spread across the State, so that any Minnesota resident may be within 50 miles of a park.
Largest State Park: St. Croix (34,037 acres)
Smallest State Park: Franz Jevne (118 acres)
Most visited State Park: Fort Snelling (959.859 in 2012)
System includes 62 National Register Historic Districts and 4 National Historic Landmarks.
Itasca contains stands of red pine that are over 200 years old, and has 157 lakes within its almost 32,000 acres.
The Parks and Trails Council of Minnesota is responsible for acquiring over 10,000 acres of land for State Parks, including some critical areas the state did not have ready funds for.
The State Parks System also includes State Recreation Areas, State Waysides, and State Trails.
Wikipedia links in text for more information.
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Parks and Trails Council of Minnesota. History. "Creating, Protecting, and Enhancing Minnesoata's Parks and Trails since 1954." Accessed 6/20/15. https://www.parksandtrails.org/who_we_are/history
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Minnesota Traveler (Summer 2007). "Preserving Pristine Places." Accessed 6/20/15. http://web.archive.org/web/20070630172557/http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/parks_recreation/traveler_07/traveler_2007.pdf
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. State Parks (2014). Accessed 6/20/15. http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/faq/mnfacts/state_parks.html
Minnesota Historical Society. Itasca State Park (1992). Accessed 6/20/15. http://www.mnhs.org/places/nationalregister/stateparks/Itasca.php
Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor. Survey of State Park Management. (2000) "Chapter 1: Minnesota's State Park System."http://www.auditor.leg.state.mn.us/ped/pedrep/0002ch1.pdf
Stateparks.com. Minnesota's State Parks. "Itasca State Park" and "Interstate State Park." Accessed 6/20/15. http://www.stateparks.com/minnesota_parks_and_recreation_destinations.html
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All pictures sourced from Wikimedia Commons. Credit to Tastocke (own work), CircaSassy, and William Wesen for photos.
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